1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothes dryers and more particularly to a heater assembly and mounting arrangement for use in a clothes dryer utilizing electric heat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In clothes dryers it is required that there be a source of heat to sufficiently heat air drawn through the dryer by a blower in order to effectively dry a wet clothes load. Such heat sources include gas burners as well as electric resistance elements.
In the case of electrical resistance elements used as a heating source, it is common that the resistance element be placed within an air conduit or chamber immediately upstream of an air inlet opening which leads into the interior of the dryer drum. Normally, this air conduit or chamber is located on the back wall of the dryer cabinet. For example, such a construction as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,409 in which the heater 18 is mounted behind the rear bulkhead of the dryer in a vertical orientation just upstream of the air inlet openings in the rear bulkhead.
The placement of the heating element at the back of the dryer requires that the back of the dryer be accessible if service to the heating element is required. This often requires the dryer, which is heavy and bulky, to be pulled out of an installed location and sometimes requires the service man to work in a somewhat cramped space. Thus, it would be advantageous to mount the heater element such that it could be serviced from the front side of the dryer.